Mirror, Mirror on the wall, I can see no grey at all... (L'Oréal Casting Creme Gloss)

Member Name: EdibleDormouse

Product:	L'Oréal Casting Creme Gloss
Date:	24/10/08 (749 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick, cheap, user-friendly

Disadvantages: Fairly revolting smell

I am experiencing my "first grey".

Actually, that's balls. I started going grey at the age of 16, and whilst Inecto "Hint of a Tint" did the trick back in those days (remember those?), for the last 10 years or so, I've needed something, ahem, more heavy duty.

I've been using the Casting Creme Gloss "Ebony Black" semi-permanent colourant for around two and a half years, largely because I'm too tight fisted to get my hair coloured in a salon, but also because, well, in the last 10 years or so, home colouring got easy...

I'm loathe to quote prices in reviews, as especially in the current climate of make do and mend, things go on special offer practically every tea time, so they're unlikely to be 100% accurate. But you can expect to pay around £5.99.

So what do you get for your money?

Well, I think this is one of the most user-friendly packs around (and I've been through most of them...), and that's largely why I keep coming back. Contained in the box (which converts into a handy colour-tube holder) you have your pigment tube, your developer bottle, a generous bottle of conditioner, a pair of gloves (these make me want to wriggle my fingers and ping the things at the wrist with a satisfying "thwack"...) in a plastic container (keep this...jolly handy for putting small earrings/pins/needles/pills in!), and instructions - READ THESE.

Having said that, take the development times with a pinch of salt - my (now completely grey...) hair is quite porous, and I find that I'm "cooked" in around five minutes under the suggested development time. I think this is particularly relevant to the more vibrant and darker colours. Anyway, your average development time is going to be around 25 minutes, and since the goop is pretty non drip, you've got the option of doing useful things like scraping the telltale tidemark round your hairline/eating toast/writing a review on Dooyou whilst you're waiting.

My only minor gripe is this - someone in the product development lab has obviously decided that a "fruity scent" was a good addition to the other no doubt highly toxic and cancerous chemicals. However, said fruity scent is what you might expect from a perfumier who had had the concept of fruit explained to them, but never actually smelt any...gah.

Rinse WELL - use that conditioner and leave it on for as long as you can before you're bored with waiting. You'll be happier with the results - like all hair colourants, Casting is pretty drying, so you will need to take good care of your hair post-colouring. You might also want to use a dark or very old towel, and be aware that you will be rinsing residual colour out for about the next three to four washes, however well you rinsed initially.

You can expect your colour to look pretty fresh for around four to six weeks. Because my hair grows freakishly fast, I need to colour every three weeks, or I look like a badger, but in that time, I notice no colour fade, and no dullness - in fact my hair is glossy and natural looking.

The proof of the pudding is always in the eating, however. I have at least two acquaintances who refuse to believe I colour my hair, and one of those is the kind of alarming creature who reminds me of the make up consultant in The Fast Show - if there is an opportunity to make a barbed comment, she'll make one. Her thoughts?

"Oh, I know you MUST colour your hair because you're OLD, but it looks so natural - which salon do you go to?"

Give it a go.

Summary: Excellent product